


The Differences That Divide Us

by TheUnaccomplishedWriter



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, Interspecies, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Married Couple, Married Life, Racism, Romance, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2018-10-13 18:24:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10519299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheUnaccomplishedWriter/pseuds/TheUnaccomplishedWriter
Summary: So the inevitable has happened. Judy and Nick have finally tied the knot and, as all romance films have taught us, the hardest part is over! Or is it? Following the married life of Nick and Judy this (hopefully) shall follow the pair on their journey through marriage and the many challenges they face. As is obvious, all Zootopia characters are owned by Disney.





	1. Just Married

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there! So this is my first ever fan fiction (you can probably tell) and I would love it for you to read and tell me where I need to improve, what you lied and so on. There may be more chapters in the future so if you like my style, or hate it and want to continue shredding my work, please watch this space. Of course, all Zootopia characters are property of Disney and I do not own any of it.
> 
> P.S.: This originally went up on FanFiction.Net a while ago but I hope people don't mind it going up on here too!

The hard part was over, they were married. It seemed like an impossible feat after all those years ago when Nick first joined the ZPD but here they were, the night after their wedding, snuggled up against each other in the honeymoon suite of their hotel. Nick pushed himself up against the headboard, groggily pawing at his half shut eyes, and surveyed the morning scene that confronted him. The room was nothing to brag about really, a small box-ish room with all the fixtures and fittings hastily crammed in. But it had everything they needed, a well stocked mini bar, complete with carrot juice, small cans of Fursters and a few now empty spaces where wine had been, a great view of the Meadowlands, and a queen size bed that Nick and Judy had thoroughly tested the night prior.

Nick had wanted something a bit more lavish for their honeymoon but, given their not so lucrative jobs, this was probably a the best for what could afford. The hotel was one of those renovated jobs, with the old exterior remaining intact while the inside had been overhauled and turned into a modern hotel. It was quite comfy to give it it's due, if not a little on the compact side, but the fact that it catered for both prey and predators had definitely bumped it up the list. Yet, while Nick seceded in the end, he had hoped to give Judy something a bit more opulent for their honeymoon.

Despite Judy, as well as his wallet, continually reminding him that they couldn't afford anything too luxurious, with Judy adding that she didn't want anything like that, Nick still felt obligated to try to get the very best Zootopia had to offer. After trying, and failing, to get Bogo to give him a raise or an advance on his meagre wages, Nick had worked extra shifts to get the cash but he knew it wasn't enough. He had only stopped trying when Judy confronted him about a large ball of money she'd found in his pants drawer while cleaning the flat. He tried to lie, trying to palm Judy over with lame excuses about some rainy day money, but Judy's serious face eventually brought out the truth that he'd been selling pawpsicles during his time off.

The look of disappointment hurt more than anything after Nick revealed the roll of money he had made. She looked so crestfallen that all the words he wanted to say to justify his slip back to the grey area of illegality disappeared. She shoved the money into his paws and left the room, weeping, leaving Nick with a sense of filth on his paws that he couldn't wash away. The next day, with Judy still not talking to him, Nick walked up to Clawhauser's desk and inserted every last note of illicit gains into it the Police Charity Fund. While Clawhauser and other officers praised him for his generosity, all Nick could do was weakly smile and bury his shame down to his core. But then, halfway through inserting one of the last few notes into the box, he felt a tiny pair of paws wrap themselves round his waist with an accompanying head pressing into his back.

"Don't you ever do that again Nick." Judy said, her voice slightly muffled against his uniform.

Nick sighed, shoved the rest of the bills into the box, and turned round to teary eyed Judy. Wiping away one stray tear, Nick replied "I promise Carrots; I promise".

Looking down at his side, the usually unfathomable ball of energy that was Judy remained placid and still, curled into a fluffy ball, recharging after last night's festivities. Nick gazed down at Judy's fur and, giving into temptation, gently brushed his fingers against the soft facial fur of his partner. Her intensely soft fur sent a tingle up through Nick's fingers, sending joy to his brain and shivers down his spine. It was a point of intense adoration and jealously for him, wishing his own fur was a soothing to touch as his own, but just being in that silent room with Judy lying next to him, his fingers gently massaging her fur, the hazy light filtering through the curtains, as if the morning sharing the city's tiredness, and with a muffled soundtrack of cars and mammals playing in the background, Nick felt completely at peace.

Not wanting to break the delicate nature of this scene, Nick slowly reached over for the bedside phone and dialled through to reception. Unfortunately, the receptionist did not appear to have the clairvoyance needed to see that it may be possible that half past six in the morning was possibly not the time to practice their loudest and chirpiest greeting;

"Sweet Sanctuaries Reception! How may I help you today?"

"Jesus Capybara, could you keep it down please?" Nick, having recoiled from the phone and was now holding it at arm's length. Nick quickly looked over to see if Judy had awoken from the equivalent of an air raid siren being thrust down your ear canal yet somehow Judy remained blissfully unaware of the tinnitus that Nick feared he was probably developing.

"Sorry but my wife's still asleep so could we maybe just use our inside voices from now on?"

The girl was gasped, clearly mortified and proceeded to stammer down the phone a strewn of apologies, all of them somehow getting progressively quieter than the last, as if she was testing the volume for which she should speak.

"It's okay, it's okay" Nick whispered into the phone, cutting off the girl's fourth apology "I just wanted to make you aware, okay. Anyway, I was just wondering whether we could get breakfast sent up to our room?"

"Oh, sure. Have you booked it?" the girl whispered back, having regained some composure and speaking the same level as Nick.

"Er, no but I want to surprise my wife. You see, we just got married."

"OH, CONGRATULATIONS!". Loud and chirpy had made an outstanding comeback before the girl realised the severe error she was making and near soundless whisper jumped back in the driving seat. "I mean, congratulations! I'm sure we can do something but it'll just take a little while. What room are you in?"

"Room 34"

"Okay, just let me put you on hold for a sec. Now where's the hold button again…" A loud beep pierced Nick's eardrums before a loudly whispered sorry was heard before the phone started playing Gazelle's Try Everything. Nick giggled, remembering when he and Judy had gone to Gazelle's concert after the Night Howler case. She'd got him dance and everything. Nick had always wondered whether his feelings for her had started there or whether they it was just the catalyst for the linger feelings that he already held for her. Either way, hearing that song made Nick look instinctively look over to Judy.

"My wife" Nick thought. That's what he called her. Sure, he said it a ton at the wedding reception, bandying the phrase quite freely as he and Judy made their round the tables, which had taken an age since they had pretty much invited the entire ZPD to their wedding, but somehow that completely normal admission that Judy, the rabbit still sleeping next to him, was his wife hit him like a speeding train. "Yeah, you're my wife" Nick thought, a smile spreading across his face.

The wedding had been a beautiful affair. Judy had chosen a small church in Meadowlands that seemed right out of a fairy tale. Gothic architecture and everything. Nick knew there were probably better churches in the area, and probably cheaper, but he knew she was a sucker for stuff like that so he could hardly say no to her, yet his wallet was having other ideas. They had tried to haggle with the vicar on price but he was probably the world's most stubborn mule.

"I'm sorry but the price is the price" The mule said, just elongating the price every time he said it. It must have been his phrase as the week since after every point and argument Nick and Judy made the mule just thought for a moment, scratched his chin with his hoof, sometimes going for his teas, but always ending with that same, damn phrase. "the price is the price".

They hated to stereotype mammals but they were barely beyond the church doors before Judy started coming up with very interesting and colourful ways to describe exactly what she would like to do with the mule and his obstinacy. Nick, trying to be pragmatic about it all, told Judy it was fine, they'd just get another church. It was only a church anyway; they were tons in Zootopia. Hell, they could have it at the ZPD if they wanted. But Judy wasn't to be calmed and stormed off, leaving Nick to go home and attempt to get a short notice booking.

After an hour or so of frantically and hopelessly trying to find anywhere to book their wedding, Nick threw the phone and flopped against the sofa, letting out a defeated sigh. It was the world was conspiring against them as none of their choices seemed to have room and all the others has issues. They were out in the boonies, or in a casino, or in the naturist club, or just preds or prey only church. Even some of the ones that Nick was certain catered for both types of mammals suddenly came up with questionable reasons for not being able to marry them until some undisclosed date in the future and even then there might be something that might crop up.

Wondering what the hell they were going to do, the door opened and Judy came in, looking as if she had calmed down and threw herself face first onto the couch face first beside Nick.

"Any luck?" came the muffled voice of Judy, face still firmly planted to the sofa's plump cushion.

"We seem to be getting a few no's Judy. And then those no's are joining with other no's and are forming a club that welcomes all those who are refusing Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps be wed sometime this millennium. It's a pretty popular club. They do snacks and everything".

Hearing muffled giggling, Nick looked down to see Judy turn round and clutched against his arm, with her purple eyes looking up into his own. Holding his gaze for a brief second Judy lent in and gave Nick a soft, sweet kiss. After having being rejected by what seemed to be the entire marriage licence holding class, this instantly soothed his internal distress. Judy broke the kiss, went up to hug him and whispered into his ear. "Don't worry, everything will be fine".

Going to bed feeling a great deal better about everything, Nick felt a renewed certainty that everything would sort itself out in the end, what he didn't expect was for it to be sorted so quickly. Instead of being woken in the early morning by a certain energetic bunny prodding him in his side, he was woken up by the shrill screech of his phone. Mentally chastising himself for not outing it on silent, Nick picked up the phone and hit accept.

"Hello" Nick answered, still groggy from his rude awakening.

"Hello, Mr Wilde?". The voice was unmistakably that of the mule vicar, but with drawl being replaced by quite an urgent tone.

"Oh, hello father" Nick replied, a little surprised. "Isn't a bit late to call, it's…" Nick quickly checked the time on his phone. "It's just gone three in the morning."

"Oh, so sorry about the late hour but I was wondering er, if we could talk about your wedding plans."

Nick, still lying in bed with his eyes struggling to remain open, bolted upright, fully awake. "Sorry, could you just say that again?"

"Er, I was just er, wanting to talk about your wedding plans. I think I can find a way to... oh God…to make it work."

"Erm, are you alright there? You sound a bit distressed."

"Oh no Mr Wilde, I'm er, I'm fine. I just feel bad for about how I treated you earlier today. I know you must be anxious about getting married so I thought maybe I could er, lower the price for you."

Was this the same mule that sat there and repeated the same phrase for twenty minutes only earlier today? This was a bit weird but, for now, Nick wasn't going to question it. Judy was going to love his little surprise in the morning.

"That's very generous of you, thank you. What sort of reduction were you thinking of?"

"Oh well I thinking around the ball park of twenty per…ahhh!"

Suddenly the vicar's voice became muffled, as if he were being dragged away from the phone. Nick was confused, had he stubbed his toe or something? Or was the prospect of giving a twenty per cent decrease giving him a coronary?

"Try again". Another voice was there. He couldn't quite make it out but it definitely wasn't the mule's low voice, a much higher, sterner voice this time. Nick swore he recognised it.

"Hello again M-M-Mr Wilde, I was just looking at the numbers I'm sure we could do a… fifty…". Again, indistinct yells emanated from the receiver.

"What was going on with that mammal?" Nick thought. "Is he having some sort of attack? He's acting as if he were being held over...". He stopped and quickly looked over to Judy. "She wouldn't."

Quickly putting the phone back to his ear, he could make out the quiet but unmistakable voice of Mr Big, telling the vicar that he would do best to give his personal friends a better deal. He could hear a few yeses before the mule was presumably thrust back towards the phone while he still was held suspended over the icy abyss.

"M-M-M-Mr Wilde? Are you s-s-s-s-s-still there?"

"Yes. I am. You mentioned something about a payment reduction at your fine church?" Nick replied, making sure to say reduction loud enough for Mr Big to hear.

"Erm, yes. Yes of course. After consulting with a…higher power… I have come to the decision to waive your fee entirely!"

Nick was astounded. He knew Mr Big loved Judy for saving Fru-Fru, but getting the church for fee was a huge wedding gift. "Well" Nick thought" "at least I won't be needing to pull double shifts like I thought I would".

"That's perfect, thank you Father and thank your higher power for helping you come to this noble decision."

"I, I will. Thank you Mr-". The phone got cut off.

Nick put the phone down and looked over to Judy. He could see it all. Judy fuming at not getting her dream, calling Fru-Fru for a nice chat over coffee, tactfully complain over not getting her dream wedding because of this one mule vicar, Fru-Fru telling Daddy over dinner about Judy's horrible predicament and then Mr Big taking matter into his own, and a few polar bears', paws.

"Sly bunny" Nick thought, before turning over and going back to sleep.

The vicar must had thought his trauma was over, but Nick had to stifle a chuckle on the wedding day as he went white as a sheet as Mr Big's entourage arrived at Judy's invitation. He and his polar bear guard Koslov, usual stoic expression and all, sat shoulder to shoulder with Chief Bogo and the rest of the ZPD. To call it slightly awkward was a bit of an understatement, with Koslov remaining his completely passive face whilst rubbing shoulders with the increasingly irate Bogo. The not too improbable possibility of a full scale battle sequence between the ZPD and Mr Big's goons would erupt, with extra helpings of bullets and blood had flashed through Nick's mind on more than one occasion, but Clawhauser's utter fascination with Mr Big's minute third granddaughter in his paws managed to soothe Bogo's temper. He even managed to crack a smile while Clawhauser oohed and ahhed over the mob boss' little one. For all his machismo, Bogo was a complete sucker for kids and, seeing little Judy and her brother Ivan in the next polar bear's paws, he seemed to forget about his neighbour's villainous activities and joined Clawhauser in fawning over the artic shrews.

It was a bit sad that no other kids could have been there since the church was too small for Judy's vast family to fit in, but Stu promised to have their own little celebration. Judy perked up a bit at that, although Nick was imagining nothing little about it, imagining in great detail the tidal wave of bunny washing over him, pawing all over him to better inspect their new uncle. Nick could already see Judy laughing at Nick's obvious peril which he didn't know whether to be hurt or warmed by.

And then the organ played, the congregation rose, and the doors opened. She was breath-taking. It was the only way to describe her. The lily white wedding dress was a bit of lie, but it still looked amazing on her. It was perhaps the only time that Nick had seen anything stereotypically girly on her and she looked as natural on her as her own fur.

After that, the wedding became a blur. Hymns were sung, vows spoken, rings exchanged (Nick got both Finnick and Flash to be his best men in order to avoid the inevitable slow ring acceptance) and then then, with those oft quoted words uttered, it was sealed. They were married.

Just as Nick began to think of the succulent taste of their wedding cake, and the several slices Clawhauser snuck away, Gazelle's voice was once again replaced by the ever cheerful voice of the receptionist.

"Hello there! Sorry for making you wait for so long but I've just checked with my manager as she says that's fine. We just need to know what you want. I didn't catch whether you're a predator or prey so which menu would you like?"

"Well what's on them?"

"Oh right erm, we've got Carrot Pancakes with Blueberries on the Prey menu and Smoked Salmon with Eggs Benedict for Predators."

"We'll take two of the Pancakes please, I feel kinda bad when I steal the blueberries from Judy."

"Oh alright then, we'll get them sent up to you."

"Thanks. What's your name by the way? I didn't catch it earlier."

"Oh its Sandra. Sorry I was meant to say that at the beginning. I'm pretty new here."

"I would never have guessed" Nick said, smirking to himself.

"Oh, thank you" Sandra replied, slightly giggling. Clearly the sarcasm went over this mammal's head. "I hope you have a good stay Mr…?"

"Wilde, Nick Wilde"

"Oh a fox then. Well I hope you have a great stay. It sounds like your wife is a lucky vixen."

"Tha-". Nick caught himself. Vixen? Did this girl not have a list of mammals staying with them? "Erm, my wife's not a vixen. She's a rabbit"

Silence. It was something that Nick had faced before, the stunned silence that went with everyone when they found out a fox was in a relationship, and now married to, a bunny. It shouldn't have been a surprise, they'd had that reaction for years but to have it after they tied the knot felt as if it was new kind of judgement, as if the fact that they were now officially together as a married couple instead of just living together that put a whole new level of judgement upon them. Nick remained silent, waiting for Sandra to make the first move.

Eventually, the voice reappeared, significantly less chirpy than before. "Oh, that's…different. Well I'll get that breakfast sent up to you. Bye". The phone went dead.

Nick hung the phone and lay looking at the ceiling. He was wrong. The hard part wasn't over. Somehow, after four years together as a couple, a year of living together and finally gotten married, Nick thought that the tide of opinion had finally shifted towards acceptance. It was stupid of him to think that it would change everything, that the looks would be given, the harsh words uttered under their breaths that Judy would hear every syllable of, and the outright slurs given to them. It had lessened as time had gone by but it was still there, still under the surface, forever lingering.

"So breakfast in bed then? You certainly know how to treat a girl."

Nick turned over to see a pair of purple eyes gazing back at him. Judy looked as beautiful then as she had last night, bedhead and all.

"So you were awake then? Sly bunny"

"Dumb fox". She leaned in, kissing Nick on the cheek, her morning scent sending Nick into blissful reverie. "It'll be alright"

Nick looked down and saw one of Judy's comforting gaze. He put his arm around her, bringing her into a gentle embrace. "It'll be alright Nick; I know it will"

Nick looked down at his new wife. All the voices telling him of the challenges and hardships they would inevitable face after this, that things would not always be alright, that things would still be hard, maybe harder, from now on. But all Nick could do was kiss Judy on top of her head and say "I know Carrots, I know."


	2. Home Life – Moving Out, Moving On

Lugging what seemed to be the four hundredth box up to their new flat, Judy kicked the door open and dropped the box on the floor, shaking her aching paws. Do it themselves she said, it would be fun she said. Judy wished she could go back in time and give herself a huge smack herself in the face. Remembering back, moving to Zootopia had been a breeze. She'd only needed one bag with all the essentials. Hell, even their last move was a cake walk compared to this.

It was just over a year ago when Nick and Judy made the momentous decision to live together. It was mid-May when it all started, during a gloriously sunny day when Zootopia was completely abuzz with activity. On the grassy centre, an impromptu game of pawball was happening, shirts vs furs, as young zebra skilling all those around his and swiftly hammering the ball between the legs of the elephant goalie. The shops and restaurants were fit to burst, with mammals grabbing anything and everything while the shop assistants and waiters frantically tried to deal with the hordes of customers. Some hippos were hanging around by the water fountain, each awaiting the next jet of soothing water to rain down upon their thick skin with a fervour one gets at an evangelical baptism, washing away the sinful heat. It was a glorious day out, a day that many would reminisce about for months to come. Except for Nick.

With the entire population of Zootopia seeming infected by the airborne disease of pure elation through the air, Judy was standing next to the only mammal vaccinated against it, Nick Wilde. Nick's eyes were half-focused, looking into the blurry middle distance, his legs moving as if trudging through heavy snow rather than the sun kissed ground that was bringing a spring in the step of others, as if charging up their joy. He'd been like that all day, barely said a word, and had only made one feeble attempt at a joke at word. Not even Clawhauser laughed and he was the go to guy for any sort of humour, no matter how lame.

Leaving the square and heading up towards Judy's flat, Nick rubbed his paws against his temple and turned to Judy. "New record" Judy thought, with Nick having gone a whole ten hours without telling Judy what was the matter.

"Judy" Nick began, face still looking about as sunk as the Titanic, "I need your help."

"What with?" Judy asked, looking up at her companion. He eyes gave away his hesitancy to ask, but she knew that since he made the first move that whatever pride he had would be swallowed down any minute to get her help.

"I've been given my two months' notice."

"Again?" Judy asked, slightly dispirited tone. "What happened? I thought this place was okay."

"Yeah, it was but then there was an… incident."

"Oh." Judy responded "I see." This wasn't anything new for Judy, she had heard it all before. After a few stern discussions about the fact a police officer couldn't expect to live under a bridge for the rest of his life, Judy finally convinced Nick to get a flat. Four months later Nick was already moving out.

She remembered how he turned up to work one day, joking about the place and saying his new place would be better and the place was a dump anyway, but she knew that wasn't it. She'd been there a few times and it was nice. It was an open plan with a small kitchen, large living room and a small bedroom with en-suite bathroom. For a single fox it was perfect, everything that Nick could have wanted. But the real reason for his sudden departure was always the same, he was a fox. His first flat was in a prey-majority building and it seemed some mammals had taken a dislike to him for no other reason than him being a fox and pressured the landlord to give him his notice which he was a bit too willing to give.

"Don't worry Carrots." Nick commented, a few months after the fact. "The place wasn't that great anyway. I've moving into a new place now and there are few more preds there so it'll be nice there. The landlord seems nice too. It'll be fine, trust me."

He was kicked out three months later. Zootopia was clearly still coming to terms with its inherent bias towards certain mammals and, even though Nick was the ZPD's first fox cop, that didn't prevent other mammals treating him like the stereotypical fox. No matter where Nick moved to eventually someone found a reason for paw him his notice or just turf him out apropos of nothing. Whether it be complaints of hustling, damages to the property, vague decriptions of 'unsavoury characters' seen going into his flat, accusations of selling drugs, an unpaid rent bill that only he seemed to be getting, there was always a reason. Judy had wondered why he never brought the ZPD in to help him but he knew that it wouldn't help anything. Judy had tried to help him on his third flat but it just made life worse for Nick. Abusive letters, rubbish piled outside his door, and the break-in where he flat was vandalised which had Nick leaving of his own accord, the only time he actually did so.

"Well, what was the reason this time?" Judy asked tentatively.

Nick paused for a second then, after letting out a long sigh, replied "I just wanted to make sure everything was alright."

It had been Nick's first day off in a couple of weeks and Nick was planning to do one thing and one thing only: absolutely nothing. It had been a while coming but Nick had freed up his calendar so that nothing could spoil his day, he was just going to veg out on the sofa, watch whatever was on the FilmFur network and just shove an obscene amount of snacks into his mouth while doing so. Bliss, Nick thought as he opened his fridge, a thought which was quickly replaced by the word bugger as he realised his fridge was completely barren.

"Damn it Nick!" he cried, slamming the fridge door in frustration. He thought he would had been alright until next week before going for another big shop. Nick begrudgingly grabbed his wallet and keys and left, leaving his fridge it's malevolent hum, cooling its hollow interior.

Locking the door behind himself, Nick turns down the corridor and begins to head down the seemingly endless flight of stairs to the ground floor only to be brought to a grinding halt by the obese frame of Ms Javahorn, the elderly rhino on the tenth floor whose progress was so mind-numbingly slow that even sloths would be crying out for her to speed up. Eventually, Ms Javahorn got close to the fifth floor which would allow Nick to dart past and get down with a few moments of daylight left.

After fiddling on his phone for a while, Nick looked up to see the floor below had come into view over Ms Javahorn's wrinkled head. The floor was like all the others: dilapidated. Nothing seemed to have been clean, with dust accumulating everywhere and various splotches and stains marking the walls and floors. Nick had initially thought they were not blood, he had enough to deal with that in work. It didn't help that the corridor was lit solely by fluorescent lights, lending a dull and dreary atmosphere to the place, like some soulless office space. It couldn't be helped through; the buildings were so tightly packed together that natural light had no chance of finding a way in.

While pondering this scene below, a buck and a doe appeared into view, coming from the stairs below. He recognised the doe, she was fairly new to the building but he passed her on the stairs a couple of times. She had her ears pierced and had her head fur grown out and dyed deep purple, a Beatniks top on, slightly revealing one shoulder, and skin tight jeans. At a glance you'd dismiss her as some punk chick, but from the books on nursing that Nick saw her carry, he knew there was brains within the judged exterior.

The buck he'd never seen before, though he was clearly an athlete, the vibe could almost hit you square in the face. Varsity blazer; plain white tee; slightly torn jeans, he looked the epitome of the stereotypical jock, with the muscles to boot and all. But to look at them, he seemed to be the one under her spell, his eyes practically eating her up as she drew him in for a kiss.

Nick blushed a little at their candour. Public Displays of Affection always made Nick a touch shy and having to look away, a fact that Judy found endlessly funny. It wasn't as if Nick was opposed to giving affection. Paw holding? Fine. Hugs? Great! Kissing? A little shiver coursed through his spine. They'd been together nearly three years yet kissing remained a private activity, away from judging eyes and the hurtful comments. "Perhaps one day" Nick thought, with a smirk "we can do that to…"

Just then Nick quickly snapped back to reality and saw his obstacle had finally touched down in the fifth floor. Not wanting to be trapped behind her again, Nick quickly dashed round her and bolted down the stairs straight to the convenience store, leaving the lovers to their business.

After an obscenely long queue wait and an unwanted amount of money spent, Nick returned up the stairs, laden with shopping while his pads screaming in agony as the plastic bags attempted to cut off all circulation. This shop was a bit bigger than usual, being weighed down with more snack materials for his day off. He never got tired of the cashier's odd look at his, the koala looking at him wide eyed as she put through his entirely vegetarian shopping through the till. He'd been shopping there for a while, but he always got odd looks for it. He'd been asked several times if he didn't want any insects or if he wanted to go to Bug Burga but he always just said "No, this is what I like".

Other cashiers would have given him some dirty look or whispered some passive aggressive comment just loud enough for him to hear, but ever since a few months back Nick always seemed to get this koala. She just always seemed amazed she was still shopping there and still getting the veggie options but never said anything and smiled at him. It was part of his job, but the normality of the forced sincerity of a customer service worker on minimum wage somehow pleased him.

He'd been coming to terms with his near vegetarianism as, while Nick still needed a bit of protein now and again, it was becoming less and less frequent. While Judy had proved a catalyst for his near herbivore diet, the reality was that Nick knew deep down bugs weren't his bag and had been moving away from them for quite some time. Even back when he had met up with Finnick all those years ago Nick was going out and getting salad boxes with the occasional side of blueberries if Nick was lucky sneak some away as a reward himself for a good day's work.

God, how Finnick used to look at him! Nick remembered looking over, munching away on lettuce leaves and carrot sticks as Finnick gawped at him in complete disbelief as this young fox happily inhaled his leafy lunch. He remembered the lectures Finnick gave, that eating nothing but veg was no way for a fox to live, that he was embarrassing him, that he should have some pride and eat what all other predators should. Nick acquiesced and started eating the bugs that Finnick happily gorged on, but still managed to get a few salad boxes or two while Finnick wasn't looking. Nick hadn't really noticed until now, but it seemed that no matter what, he was destined for an out of the ordinary predator life, something his pads were regretting as he made his way to the fifth floor.

Nick dumped the bags on the floor, not even caring about the contents anymore, as he quickly clenched and relaxed his paw pads in a bid to coax the blood back.

"Goddamn bags" Nick quietly growled, looking vehemently over at the synthetic scourge as if they were snickering at their effectiveness. It had been a while since he'd done a shop this big without calling for Zasda to so a delivery, but at least he now felt a bit of sympathy to the mammal who brought his shopping every other week, having to use the stairs since the lift got busted two months back.

Stooping back down to get the bags, Nick was stopped by a large thump emanating from down the hall. Nick looked down the empty hall, scanning the drab interior unable to locate the source of the noise. Probably nothing Nick thought, it was an old building, there were always weird noises going on in that old building, some of which he didn't want to think too deeply on. Picking the bags up, Nick headed towards the stairs again, his pads already regretting the decision.

"Ahh!"

Nick froze. Standing stock still, Nick just waited and listened. Something was up, something was definitely up. That noise sounded pained but he had to be sure, he couldn't just do something on a hunch. You never know, it might still be nothing and he could barge in on some unwitting mammal going about their day. He had to be sure. His ears twitched as he listened intently for anything. Nick became incredibly sensitive to his surroundings, the musty smell of the old building, his own shallow breathing, the weight of his shopping within his clenched paws. He stood and waited for that tell-tale sound that he hoped would never come, that would allow him to move away and get on with his day, allow him to brush off his instilled paranoia of odd noises and just to walk on without a care like anyone else would. He wanted that so much, just to walk on. To leave it behind him.

"Please!"

No such luck. Nick turned round and gently put the bags down, avoiding making too much noise. He gently padded down the corridor, listening against each door to pinpoint the source of the sound of distress. Leaning against each door, Nick listened intently for a few seconds before ruling it out and moving to the next one. Nick briefly considered how suspicious he would look if seen. A fox pressing his head against several doors listening for mammals within. If that didn't look like probable cause he didn't know what did.

Moving off from the third door, he leaned against room 504, with its number four hanging at a crooked angle. He pressed up against the door, his ear keenly seeking out any noises. He stayed against the door listening but only found waves of nothingness crashing against him. He pushed himself away and started towards the next door.

"Hnh"

Nick halted and backed up pretty quickly. Pressing his head against 504's door, Nick listened to be absolutely sure.

"Shurrup!"

Confirmation, damn it Nick thought as he pulled out his phone. He quickly scrolled through his phone and hovered over Judy's name. Judy would want to know he thought, but she was probably on shift now, and he didn't want to distract her, she might be in the middle of busting some perps right now. He scrolled back up and pressed down on Clawhauser, knowing this is probably what Judy would have told him to do anyway.

The phone rang a few times before Clawhauser picked up and, from the greeting he gave, he must have had a donut lodged somewhere in his gullet.

"Hey Mick, whar ya doin'?"

Nick sighed. "Clawhauser, finish your donut before you speak. You're a receptionist for God's sake, act a little bit professional now and again."

He heard Clawhauser choke a little at the immediate scolding but still came back as bright as ever, this time donut-less.

"Sorry about that Nick. Fangmeyer just brought me a box of them and they're chocolate covered with sprinkles. He really gets the good stuff from that baker, but I'm betting it's because Lillian has a sweet spot for him. Anyway, isn't it your day off?"

"Yes it is" Nick returned in a hushed voice "but I've just heard some weird noises from a flat in my building and I think I need someone over here now."

"Oh right!" Clawhauser squeaked "Er, I'll send a car over now. Where are you by the way? You still at the Meadow Rise Building?"

"Yeah, it's on the fifth floor, room 504. Just get so-"

"Stop it, please! Ahh!"

Nick swivelled round looking directly at the door.

"What was that?" Clawhauser asked, his voice quavering a bit.

"Not good, whatever it was. Screw it this can't wait I'm going in. You'd better me some back up."

"Hang on, I'm sending back up now. Don't do anything hasty Nick."

"I'm just gonna check if everything's alright. Just send the backup."

"Ni-".

Nick cut him off before he could say anything else, already moving towards the door. He really wished he had some of his gear with him instead of having it holed up at the station. Hell even some pepper spray would be nice about now. But Nick wasn't averse to paw-to-paw combat as, while he intensely avoided it in his conning days, his time at the academy proved his actually had a knack for it and had come in handy in his new profession once or twice. Nick slowly tested the door to see if it was unlocked, slowly moving the handle down and gently pushing. Not locked, well at least he didn't have to kick anything down.

If the weird noises hadn't already given the impression something was amiss, the room before him certainly did. It was a wreck. A vase was smashed on the floor, shards strewn across the floor; curtains torn and half hanging off the rail, and a series of scratch marks across the wooden floor, leading to a door at the back of the room.

Picking his way through the wreckage, Nick made his way to the door. The sounds of a struggle became disgustingly clearer every inch he approached.

"Please… please stop it." A young female voice cried out, her voice hoarse from tears and pain.

"Shut it bitch!" A male voice calmly but forcefully replied, before another pained cry from the female emanated from the back room.

Nick didn't need to hear anymore. He was going in. He reached for the handle and threw it open with his whole weight, the door slamming against a bookshelf and brining everything before him as still as a picture.

Frozen in tableau, the actors of this scene had their gazes fixed upon him, with uncertainty and confusion swirling together in their eyes, as if Nick had wandered onto set before his cue and thrown the players on stage into a state of bewilderment. The only characters in this production were the young couple from before, the buck and the doe and, unfortunately, they were not acting out some lovers play.

The doe was crumpled on the ground as if thrown there, as if she were some wretched item that no longer served any purpose to its former owner. Her face did not hold that sleek beauty a mere hour before, being matted in crimson and dabbed in deep blue. The shin tight jeans she wore before was shredded, her top having been ripped off and scraps of it were scattered around her autumn leaves.

The buck stood over her defenceless form, his hooves raised and bloodied. He recovered from the confusion first, maintaining his stance while still looking over his shoulder at the new arrival as if he were a speck of dust that could easily been blown away.

"I suggest you leave little fox" the buck suggested calmly, as if offering advice to a friend. "Just go now and you won't have to see any unpleasantness."

Nick remained where he was, still processing the scene, still looking down at the doe who was now avoiding his stare, covering herself, ashamed at being seen like this. Nick looked back up to the buck who hadn't moved an inch, his hoof still raised as if it were all on pause and Nick leaving and the door clicking shut would be akin to hitting the play button.

"I suggest you come quietly sir" Nick replied, keeping his voice from betraying his shock and horror.

The buck retained his stillness for a moment, before letting out a brief laugh, lowered his arm, and facing the newcomer.

"I won't ask you nicely again pred. Turn around and close the door."

Nick raised his arms into a protective stance. "I'm sorry, I'm not gonna do that. Now you're gonna be really nice and get down on the ground with your hooves behind your back."

"Oh am I?" The buck answered, forcefully stepping forward to unsettle Nick. "Suppose I don't want to?"

"Well in that case I guess I'm gonna have to put you down there for you aren't I?"

The buck lunged forward, arm outstretched ready to grasp Nick's neck. Nick deftly swept aside, leaving the buck to careen past him, fall through the door and land on his face in the living room. Nick knew that he couldn't take the buck down one on one, he his size and muscular bulk would make it nigh impossible for him to do it without his police equipment and if he got a good swing on him then he knew he wouldn't be getting up any time soon.

The buck jumped back up, enraged and snorting as if he were an angered bull. He grunted and charged at Nick again. Moving swiftly, Nick threw himself on the ground and rolled between the oncoming bucks legs, leaving him safe in the living room while the buck slammed into the bed. Nick grinned to himself. It was always the big lugs who thought they could smash him into a pulp that ended up on their backs, lungs desperately clawing for oxygen while Nick scuffed the, unscathed and barely out of breath. He may not be the strongest mammal out there, but so long as he didn't get caught, the fight's pretty much over before it began.

The buck, clearly irritated at being outmaneuvered twice in quick succession, whirled round and glared into the fox's calm and taunting jade eyes. The doe pressed herself against the wall, as if by sheer force of will she would be able to phase through the wall and end up in the next flat.

"You're pretty quick aren't you?" the buck said, moving forward slowly this time.

"You learn a few things in my line of work." Nick coyly replied, making sure to step back in time with the buck, putting some furniture between them.

The buck wasn't charging around anymore, taking measured thought out steps towards him, looking for an opening to get his hooves on him. Nick kept his cool expression, but internally was frantically looking for a way to get this buck down. Backup shouldn't be too far away but given how he had seen what this guy was capable of he wasn't going to take his chances at playing fox hunt.

"Oh, what line of work is that?" the buck inquired, moving himself towards the table. "Dealer? Con man? Pimp? I bet that's why you're here for his fuckin' skank" gesturing to the door being him with his head. "She'd be a good fuck; I can see why you're interested. Lotta prey would prey to have her. Hell, a lot of preds wouldn't mind a go either."

Nick kept calm. This was good. Keep your distance and keep him talking, didn't matter what about just keep him talking. The longer he's talking, the more chance the ZPD are gonna bust in here and arrest this arrogant prick.

"Unfortunately not, just heard the noise. Made quite a mess of her haven't you? What was it, did she make you feel a bit stupid with words like no?"

For a moment Nick thought he'd pushed it too far, the buck's face contorting with rage. "That bitch fucking led me on! Kissing me, dragging me in her apartment and for what? 'Oh, I'm not ready yet. She wanted it to be special.' Spouting all kinds of crap. Not ready yet? Like fuck she wasn't ready. She was practically wet for me, tongue down my throat, and she doesn't want to put out?! Fucking bitch. I'm not waiting. She's mine."

All through this misogynistic preaching, Nick looked around for a way to incapacitate the buck. If he could get him down and cuff him somehow, he'd feel a lot better about this situation. His eyes frantically searched the room for something, anything to bring down the menacing buck before him. Remote control? No. Book? No? Gaffa tape? No. Stuffed Toys? No. Fa-, wait a minute. Nick's eyes glanced back across to a small table near the door, with a roll of gaffa tape just sitting there.

Nick's mind kicked into overdrive, running through the plan in his head, looking for possible ways his plan could go awry and seeking to iron them out. Soon he had his plan. It wasn't pretty but it was all he had.

All the while the buck continued his sermon on backward thinking. "I saw her at college. Her sleek form, luscious fur, bewitching eyes. I knew I was going to have her, to make her mine. I don't care if she doesn't want me, she is mine and once I'm done with her, no-one else will touch her. I'll go to clubs and bars and point her out to friends, strangers, anyone and say: that doe there, she's mine and you can't have her."

Mentally keying himself to make his move, Nick re-joined the one-sided conversation.

"Sorry to burst your bubble there champ but she's not yours. She's a mammal, not some rare item to show off."

"Ha, is that what you think?" The buck's anger returning to the fox before him. "It's the natural order of things. I fight off the competition, establish myself as the dominant male, and then I take what's mine. But she just wouldn't have it the natural way, the right way, so I had to just, remind her."

Nick clenched his paws, still trying to stay cool as the doe wept in the next room.

"So if we go by your natural ways then I'd have all the rights in the world to pick my teeth with your pretty antlers after I'd had my fill of you." Nick jabbed.

"You? Against me? Please, you wouldn't stand a chance. You're quick I'll admit, but you can't go on like that forever. I could do this for days." He bragged, rotating his shoulders as if preparing to strike as he circled Nick round the table.

Going against the buck's motions, Nick was getting close to the prime position. Well, now or never Nick thought, gearing himself up for what could probably be quite a few bruises.

"Sorry friend, but that doesn't fly here. You can be an asshole all you like but as soon as you laid a hoof on her you became my problem. Being savage in the past might have gotten you somewhere, but here, in the modern world, all you are is some spoilt little prick you who doesn't like not getting his own way. You're like a child, a stupid, spoilt, pathetic child."

"You mother-". The buck jumped up and immediately Nick sprang into action, kicking the table with all his might. The table slammed into the buck's legs, throwing off his assault and sending him plummeting through the table blow him in an almighty crash. Nick dashed over to cabinet, grabbed the gaffa tap and hopped onto the buck, still woozy from being floored so forcefully. Nick crabbed his arms, crossing them behind his back and, while keeping them in place with his knees, quickly began to tie them up in tape. After nearly using half the roll, Nick bit off the tape and began to repeat the process with his legs.

Jumping off the buck, Nick looked at the dazed buck tied up like an ancient hunting party's kill. He must have hit the table and floor harder than he thought since he was still gurgling in half-consciousness. Nick felt a bit smug with himself, it's not every day you go in unarmed against a buck in his prime and come away unharmed. He bet Carrots would be proud of him when she heard. He could see her face now, almost blinding with the amount of delight in her eyes, her face radiating practically red with, red with…. Nick instantly turned away from his self-congratulatory thoughts and turned toward the bedroom door.

Still cowering in the corner, her arms hugging her long legs against her exposed chest, shivering in the corner. Nick slowly approached, reaching out his paw to close the distance between them.

"Hey ma'am, you okay?" Nick asked, keeping his tone soft and approachable.

The doe remained silent, still looking blankly over her arms into the void, perhaps not even noticing Nick's presence. Nick moved closer, crouching down in front of her directly in her eye line.

"Ma'am" Nick repeated, putting his paw against her arm "you okay?"

The doe remained staring into the void for a few a little while then before her whole being juddered back into life and finally noticed the fox in front of her. Staring at the fox, she tried to push herself away but, knowing what she was thinking, let go and put his paws up.

"Her ma'am it's okay, I'm not here to hurt you. Are you okay?"

The doe still looked like she was in a state of shock, shivering and glancing around nervously.

"Is… is he gone?"

"No, but he will be soon. I tied him up. He's not going anywhere."

The doe, although a bit reassured still looked confused and was still shivering in shock.

"Ma'am, can you tell me your name? You remember your name?"

The doe looked at Nick, taking a moment to process the question before finally responding.

"Joan… my name's Joan."

"Okay Joan, that's brilliant. My name's Nick, I'm a Police Officer with the ZPD. I'm here to help you."

Joan smiled a little at the news, but it didn't last long before tears began welling up in her eyes.

"I don't know what I did wrong." She cried, gasping for air to refuel the tears. "Maybe I should have, maybe it's my fault. I just wasn't ready yet but he was. I was being so selfish."

Nick held her hooves in his paws.

"You did nothing wrong. You weren't ready and that's the end of the matter. No-one should ever, ever react like this. He is just some small minded asshole who doesn't like not getting what he wants and if he doesn't understand a word little cubs can understand that's his problem, not yours."

Joan looked up at Nick, tears still flowing. "I… I feel a bit dizzy."

"I'm not surprised. You just get comfy but don't fall asleep. I've got some backup coming. They'll take care of you okay?"

Joan nodded, widening her eyes a bit to show Nick she wasn't about to drop off.

"I'm just going to check on Mr Fabulous in there. I won't be a minute, okay?"

Joan looked a bit apprehensive, but then nodded slowly. Getting up, Nick knew he had to call Clawhauser to see where anybody was, Joan needed to see a doctor. Nick was about to go for his phone when what sounded like a gargantuan fish flopping around emanated from the next room. Nick glanced over to the Joan, who was staring at the door as if waiting for the hurricane to crash through it and travel directly through her.

"Don't worry, I'll sort it out" Nick reassured, edging out of the room to make sure the binds weren't failing him.

Still struggling on the floor, the buck fruitlessly attempted to free himself from his restraint but the gaffa tape resiliently clung against his fur. I should probably mention gaffa tape as alternate pawcuff Nick mentally noted before standing before the buck's head.

"Having a little trouble there, champ?" Nick asked smugly.

If the word anger could have been created in corporeal form, it was this buck in front of him. His glare was so intense that Nick swore he could be trying to get him to spontaneously combust.

"You fucking asshole!"

"Hey, there are kids on this floor" Nick sarcastically chided. "We don't want them to learn bad words from a bad man now do we?"

The buck struggled at the tape again, desperately trying to break his chains and possibly use them to strangle Nick, pull out the guts from his limp corpse, and wear him like a high end scarf.

"Don't bother slugger, that gaffa tape will hold you there until the ZPD turn up and it'll hurt something terrible when it comes off. I wonder how cold the cuffs will feel on exposed skin? Guess I'll find out soon."

Suddenly the buck stopped wriggling and looked up as far as he could, scanning the fox from head to toe.

"Oh you're that fox. I must admit I didn't recognise you out of your uniform. Seen you on all the billboards and shit. ZPD's first fox cop right?"

"And we have a winner!" Nick said in a faux game show host voice, pretending to hold a microphone in one paw while signalling to the buck with open paw. "Honestly thought I'd be a bit more well known by now, I did help solve the Night Howler case."

"Oh right, you were with that bunny. Now it makes sense."

Nick froze. "What do you mean by that?" Nick probed, already dreading was what to come.

The buck grinned. "You know; I should have gotten it was you. I saw you with that bunny cop but you were in street clothes so it somehow didn't quite click. No wonder you helped that bitch in there, you a bit of a preyo or something?"

Angered, Nick went to shut him up but, as soon as the words were formed in his mouth, his lips refused to release them. They faltered and turned to ash and fell down his throat with a bitter taste.

"HA! I thought so! Maybe not for that bint in there but definitely for that rabbit. Wow! You must be grasping for some pretty low hanging fruit if you're having to sow your oats outside your own species! Fucking hell, you are a pathetic bastard! They can dress you as fine as they like and pin as many meddles as they want on you, but you're no predator, you're nothing. At least I've got some dignity in staying in my own kind but you, holy fuck you've not even got that!"

Nick stood motionless, compartmentalising everything he was saying and keeping it all for the lengthy report he would regale whoever showed up. He was used to this, being judged, he could handle this. All he had to do was just soak it up like a sponge and forget all about it in the morning.

"But then again, that bunny must be a fucking embarrassment as well to go with the likes of you."

Nick's paw clenched. The buck smirked.

"I bet her parents are so proud, going off her natural enemy. Their child betrays their way of life to become a cop. That's fine though, she's a success. Famous even. That'll quell their fears. But a fox for a mate! I bet they won't even look her in the eye again.

But hey, it must be good for you! Luring a sweet, innocent bunny into your lair. I bet you've wondered it. How she tastes, how those little bones you crack in your jaw. I bet you dream it so vividly. Each and every bite."

Nick paused It was the first time he'd stopped, as if he needed a moment to get the taste of bile of out his mouth. They'd walked all the way straight through the centre; down the bustling streets; past the throngs of mammals queueing to for ice creams, corn on the cob, bug burga's, and carrot sticks; turning down short cuts; climbing steps, until they eventually right outside Judy's front door. Judy was so engrossed in it all that she hadn't even noticed and took a couple of moments before she clicked where she was.

"So what happened then?" Judy remarked, fumbling for her keys as she did so.

Nick had kept so calm throughout his telling of the story. His face and voice without emotion, as if had been happening to someone else, not himself. She guessed it was a coping mechanism of some sort, that 'don't let them see they go to you' mentality he had developed over the years.

"Nothing much. Delgato and Grizzoli turned up and managed to stop me doing anything serious. Said they heard me from two floors down I was blowing my top so much. By the time they'd got to the floor it appears I'd drawn quite a crowd."

Judy grasped her keys and opened the door, ushering Nick inside as he continued.

"They tried dissuading me but apparently I was too angry to listen to reason. Grizzoli pulled me away while Delgato saw to that prick. Throughout it all I didn't really make sense of anything. It was like I was blind with fury. I didn't register anything except my hatred of the things he'd said, the things he'd said about you, about what I'd do to you.

It was only when I felt everyone's eyes on me that snapped me out of it. It was if the entire building came out to see me. All those eyes looking at me, a predator going berserk. I could see it in their eyes. They all feared me. I saw a raccoon hold her cub that little bit tighter as Grizzoli dragged me away. I'd failed. I'd saved her but I'd failed."

Nick sat on the bed, looking down at his paws as if he had committed some heinous crime.

"It was quite for a few days. He got arrested and the Joan got taken to hospital. I gave a statement and a few days extra leave to 'compose myself' as Bogo said."

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" Judy asked, unable to keep it in anymore. "Did Bogo tell you to keep quiet? I swear next time I see him."

"Hey don't go blaming buffalo butt" Nick interjected, his wit returning a little. "I kept this quiet. I thought I'd tell you after a few days when I came back and it all cooled off so I could laugh about it. But then the letters came."

From his pocket Nick pulled out a crumpled, but folded piece of paper and held it lightly in his paws.

"I got a ton of these." Nick began. "It was only a few to start with but then they just kept coming. I could hardly open my door sometimes. Some were quite eloquently written, others not such a high standard, but they all gave the same message. I think this one sums it up best."

Nick proffered the note to Judy. Hesitant, Judy took it from his paw and, turning the room's solitary wooden chair to face him, sat down before unfolding it. Judy recoiled in disgust. The note simply read, in all capitals, 'LEAVE SAVAGE'. Judy looked up at Nick. Why would he keep this? Why didn't he tell me? How many of these did he get?

"All the others had their own stings, their disgusting ways of telling me how wrong I was, how I shouldn't be anywhere near prey, how foxes are all the same, but that one floored me. I thought I could somehow ride it all out until I got that one."

Puzzled, Judy looked back down at the note again. It was so simple; why would it be so traumatic? That's when she realised. It was done in red crayon. She looked at Nick, nearly in tears.

"Hey it's okay, I cried a little too. That night the landlord, Ms Gnawton, came up to see me. She's really nice, she's one of those older beavers that does all that Beaver Lodge stuff, you know, tee chewing circles and everything. But she was nice though. She didn't give a damn about my species, just thought I was a 'nice young fox'. I wouldn't cross her though. I remember one time seeing her in the street full on yelling at some bear cub for littering. I've never seen a bear regret so much saying the phrase 'old-timer' before in my life.

"Anyway she comes up and says she's tried to keep everyone calm but it's become impossible. After the little 'incident' it seems most the building was threatening to leave if something wasn't done about me. She didn't believe it until she saw the petition pushed through her door, full with names, addresses of where they were going to go, and a draft to the Prey Post getting them to smear her and her 'dangerous predator building'. So I had to go."

Nick relaxed, pushing himself further onto the bed, his back resting against the paper thin wall. The silence set in, Judy unable to immediately say anything, the only sound being the soft beginnings of rain tapping against the window. The room's usually stale air, a feature of Judy's room that she had become accustomed to, had somehow become oppressive and uncomfortable. Judy wondered how long Nick had felt walking around with this feeling. He had been mistrusted as a predator all his life, a fact that Judy was uncomfortably aware of, but to be treated so after trying to do good, to help improve himself and help the world, only to be rejected due to a single outburst.

If I had done that, I'd be forgiven, Judy thought, hell, I'd be met by a standing ovation for standing up for against a dangerous and bigoted mammal that towers over me. But for Nick? Judy looked at him, his eyes half closed, arms hanging limp from his sides, it was as if getting that out of him had drained all his energy.

Judy pushed herself out her chair and gently placed herself against Nick's body, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her head against his chest.

"Nick, you are not the mammal they say you are. They were totally unjustified in what they did, forcing you out because of their prejudices and ignorance. You are one of the sweetest mammals that I have ever had the pleasure to know and if they refuse to see that then that is their problem."

Nick placed his arms around Judy's back, reciprocating the hug.

"Zootopia is still on a learning curve about its own inherent specism. I hoped we would have come a bit further along by now but there's always more to do isn't there?"

"That's an understatement" Nick chuckled.

"I know, but I know we can do it. We need to set the example. Things are changing though. Just think, four years ago Zootopia was about to tear itself apart because of what I said about predators and look at Zootopia now. It might not be perfect yet but it's getting a better little by little, we've just got to keep going."

"I wish it were as simple as that Carrots" Nick replied dryly "but this stuff has deep roots. I've been dealing with it most my life. Things are improving but I don't think this city will be truly come round to loving the idea of predators and prey co-existing until long after I'm gone."

"Hey, I love the idea." And with that Judy leaned up and softly kissed Nick. Nick seemed a little stunned at first but he soon began reciprocating, exploring Judy's mouth with the tip of his tongue to find his dancing partner.

It had taken a while for Nick to become comfortable kissing Judy as, for his bravado, Nick was quite nervous about being intimate with Judy. He was always asking was she okay or if she wanted to stop, which were the last things she wanted. After a while Judy asked point blank if Nick was sure about the relationship. The look of sheer horror told Judy that splitting up was definitely not on Nick's mind.

They had a sit down and Judy let Nick voice all his concerns, about his fears about cutting her tongue with his teeth while kissing, the possibility of hurting Judy during sex, the fear that if Judy disliked it would eventually ruin their relationship. Nick had even struggled to get the last one out. Judy just kissed him there and then and held him close. She reassured him and explained that she was a little scared too, about it all being new and how they weren't going to be sure what to do where their limits were, but it was something they were going to work through it together. Ever since that night they'd enjoyed quite a few occasions of working through it together.

Pulling out of the kiss, Judy looked into Nick's eyes, the warmth having returned.

"You know how to make things better don't you Carrots?"

"Hey, it's called a hustle sweetheart." Judy quipped.

Nick laughed which set off Judy's giggling, while the rain outside being dispelled by rays of sunshine.

"So how long have got left to look for a place then?" Judy inquired, coming back to the pressing matter at paw.

"I've still got time." Nick reassured her.

"How much?" Judy reiterated, more serious now.

"About nine days."

"Nine days?!" Judy replied, stunned. "How have you not gotten a place now!"

"It seems my reputation has preceded me and not many places are keen on having me stay."

Judy bounded over to the computer, instantly booting it up. "There's got to be somewhere you can go."

"Trust me I've looked" Nick replied with a slight hint of exasperation. "Unless I'm willing to fork out most my pay check and possibly a limb, there's nowhere that seems willing to take a fox."

"Have you not tried moving in with someone? What about Finnick? Clawhauser? Flash?"

"Finnick lives in a van so I don't think he has the floor space for me; I asked Clawhauser but he said the landlord wouldn't allow it, and Flash has moved in with Priscilla so I don't think I want to disturb that love nest, they've taken so long to get together in the first place. Trust me, there's nowhere."

"WHY DON'T YOU MOVE IN TOGETHER?"

Nick and Judy both spun round to the narrow partition where the familiar voice emanated from.

"BUCKY, STOP LISTENING IN THEIR PRIVATE CONVERSATION!"

"DON'T ACT LIKE YOU WEREN'T LISTENING TOO PRONK! WHY DON'T THEY MOVE IN TOGETHER? THEY'VE BEEN A COUPLE FOREVER!"

"I DON'T KNOW BUT IT'S THEIR BUSINESS SO SHUT UP!"

"NO YOU SHUT UP!"

"NO YOU SHUT UP!"

"NO YOU SHUT UP!"

"NO YOU SHUT UP!"

"NO YOU SHUT UP!"

At this point Nick and Judy silently left the room and walked away as Bucky and Pronk carried on their usual civilised conversation.

"So what do you think?" Nick and Judy had gone into a coffee shop that served a particular blueberry infused tea that Nick was especially fond of. Judy had just raised her own carrot juice to her mouth as Nick popped the question.

"Of what?" Judy said, carefully placing the juice back down on the table un-sipped.

"Moving in together. What do you think?"

"I don't know, my room's not exactly built for two."

"Your room's not even built for one." Nick interjected, smirking at his own joke. "Seriously, I've known you for what five years or so now and the only thing that's changed about that room is the picture of us on your desk."

Judy blushed a little but had to admit that her room was a little on the sparse side. She'd always intended to spruce it up a little or at least move out to somewhere a little bigger but just never got round to doing it, it was just convenient where it was and she didn't need anywhere bigger until now.

"Seriously Fluff, I'm not trying to put pressure on you but I really need somewhere to stay. Plus, if it doesn't work out, I can find somewhere else to stay without the impending doom of living under a bridge again hanging over me. Besides, it's not as if I haven't had a certain amount of sleepovers at your place."

Judy laughed and punched his arm, with Nick rubbing his arm in his half jest, half actual pain.

"Alright, valid point Nick and if Bucky and Pronk can make it work in that tiny room I don't see how we couldn't."

"Thank you Judy!" Nick exclaimed, lunging across the table and squishing Judy into his chest.

"No problem Nick, now please let go, mammals are staring and I can't breathe!"

Nick instantly let go, apologising profusely as the onlookers gave wary glances over at the eccentric couple in the corner.

After that, everything seemed to go so quickly. Judy's landlady, Dharma Armadillo was quite good about it, having seen Nick and Judy together over the years and had no problem letting Nick move in. Nick then gathered his belongings, which only comprised of his normal clothes, uniform, as well as a few other bits and bobs he had picked up over the years.

After being a couple for so long Nick and Judy had an easier time than others moving in together, yet there were still the little things they hadn't anticipated. Firstly, whereas Nick would gladly lie in until the sun was beginning to descend in the east, Judy was up at the crack of dawn every day, alarm blaring right into Nick's ears. Eventually, after Nick threatened to smash the alarm clock underpaw, they compromised to have alarm-less days off.

Secondly, much to Judy's chagrin, it appeared that Nick was a bit of a snack stealer. After Nick had bought a tiny fridge, Judy finally had somewhere to put her carrot sticks, celery, and blueberry punnets. However, after a few snacks going missing, Judy eventually caught Nick red-pawed, which was quite apt with the strawberries staining his fur.

But then there were the sweet things, like when Judy came home exhausted after pulling some overtime doing paperwork. Nick had managed to swindle someone into taking his shift and, inserting her keys into the lock, Judy fully expected to see an unconscious Nick sprawled on the bed, phone on his chest shining out like a beacon in the darkening room.

The reality however was somewhat different, with Nick somehow still awake at this late hour, sitting on a worn but comfortable looking sofa staring at a small TV placed on the other side of the room. Nick looked over at her, his tired eyes struggling to stay open. All the questions of how he managed to get the furniture up here, get it all wired up, got Ms Armadillo's permission and several others evaporated from her mind as the thought of Nick spending his day of making the place a bit homely.

"Welcome home Fluff, you wanna sit down?" Nick said, patting the space next to him.

"God yes" Judy replied before flopping down limply onto the sofa, before curling up next to Nick. Nick leaned over the arm of the chair and picked up a box, passing it to Judy.

"Hungry?"

The box smelled so delightful and Judy was so ravenous that she was hardly about to question what was in it. Inside was a vegetarian pizza, complete with broccoli, sweetcorn, mushrooms, peppers, and a vegetarian cheese that Judy adored. Taking a slice and eagerly devouring it while Nick looked on, smirking as he did so and wrapping his arm round her shoulder.

They collected so many things in that tiny room that by the time they were leaving they were simply stared in absolute amazement at the amount of stuff they had collected in the space of a single year. But they all had their joys, their sadness', their squabbles, their truce's, their dead days, their active nights. It was all there, to be put in boxes and moved somewhere where they could make more memories.

With the last box dumped in the room, Judy collapsed on the floor, the energy having been positively drained from her body. Getting back her breathe, Judy took in their new home. The flat was generously given by Fru-Fru as a wedding gift, having been appalled at the manner in which they were living and, despite their protests, insisted they needed something better. Fortunately, she heeded their advice on perhaps not going through Mr Big to get the flat as their connection to him was already a tentative issue at work and getting gifts of a new flat would probably take them over the edge of what Bogo was willing to permit.

The flat Fru-Fru managed to wrangle for them was a much needed upgrade for them. With multiple rooms, including their own bathroom and kitchen-diner, the flat was already immeasurably better than the Grand Pangolin Arms. Light flowed in from the immaculate glass doors that leg to a small balcony complete with tiny table and chairs for alfresco breakfasts on sunny mornings and relaxed coffees in glow of the setting sun.

Judy was brought out of this reverie as the sounds of laboured pawsteps and pained grunts entered the room as Nick and Clawhauser slowly waddled into the room and dropped the sofa to the ground before collapsing on it themselves, both panting, tongue lolling out of their mouths.

"Remind me Nick" Clawhauser said between gasps for air "why did I help you again?"

"Because you love us?" Nick replied, voice dripping in faux schmaltz.

"True."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll have an extra-large 'Thank You' box on your desk tomorrow, with extra sprinkles."

Clawhauser immediately perked up at the prospect of donuts, his most blatant among his many Achilles Heel's. After Clawhauser left, head filled with pastry delights, Nick and Judy became unpacking and making the flat their own. As Judy pulled out some of her rabbit plushies out of a box, a sliding sound suddenly caught her attention. Turning round, a small envelope was protruding from under the door. She grabbed it and turned it over, with it being simply addressed Nick Wilde.

"Nick?"

"Hmm?" Nick replied, busying himself with the TV.

"A letter's just come under the door to you."

"A what?"

"A letter, it's got your name on it"

"That's weird" Nick got up and crossed over to Judy. "I've not even told my mum my address, let alone anyone else yet."

Nick tore it open and brought out the single sheet of folded paper. Flipping it open, Nick's eyes changed and he suddenly pushed past Judy and flung open the door. Judy went out to the motionless fox staring down the hallway. Judy followed his eyes down the empty corridor before looking back up to Nick.

"What's the letter say? From someone you know?"

Nick breathed out then smiled. Facing Judy, he pawed the letter to her. Taking it in her paws she saw, written in a delicate paw, 'Thank you. Joan.' Judy smiled and took Nick's paw in hers, before silently returning to their flat, shutting the door softly behind them.


	3. Chapter 3 -The One They Forgot

Pushing through the revolving doors into the darkened square, Nick paused for a moment outside the ZPD. After four hours of overtime with what seemed to be the largest stack of paperwork ever assembled by mammal kind, Nick was glad to have the chance to just stand for a moment and inhale the crisp night's air as it tingled his nostrils, before softly soothing his entire being, the tensions slipping off as easily as a coat.

Heading off into the amber tinted night, Nick took in the strange stillness of everything. The raging rivers of mammals had reduced to mere trickle, all heads down into their phones or staring off with vacantly glazed over eyes that take in nothing and mere walk on their automated path to their usual haunts and homes. The noises of bustling pawsteps, cars horns, ringtones, shouted greeting, and incensed accusations had vanished, the low hum of the streetlights being the only note played this quite monotonous part of Zootopia's usually vibrant soundtrack. The explosive colour of day had been transmuted into a more subdued beauty of night which, even with the benefits of night vision, Nick readily appreciated, having spent enough nights out in the open to recognise its wonder.

Nick's legs led him on his own automated path, letting his mind warm up after hours of tedious information having been its only lacklustre nourishment. He tried to think back when he last ate, wading through the spreadsheets and crime reports before finally landing on the doughnut which Judy left on his desk before leaving. It was a nice parting gift, with blueberry jam bursting out in every direction on his first bite, staining his muzzle and paws, which Nick gleefully lapped up.

It had been a while since Nick had been without his ever-present bunny partner. It had been a running joke in the office that they were joined at the hip when they first were partnered together. Not only were they on every case together, but their desks were right beside one another, they had lunch together, got spotted going to the pictures together, got ribbed and asked probing questions when Nick was seen leaving Judy's place on more than one occasion. The couple jokes were ZPD daily routine, even when Judy and Nick revealed the true nature of their partnership, everyone laughed. Even Bogo let out a snort of derision. It was only when Judy's anxious face turned into her trademark steely gaze and calmly stated that she wasn't joking that the laughter abruptly stopped. Any remnants of doubt were gone when Nick took hold of her paw and looked up at everyone, the same daring expression on his usual relaxed face.

In hindsight, although the jokes were sometimes a bit too crass for Judy's, and sometimes even Nick's liking, they made the acceptance of their relationship at the ZPD a lot easier. Even Bogo, notorious for his dislike of work relationships, let it slide, stating in characteristic bluntness that he trusted 'Hopps to keep everything professional between them at work'. Nothing changed really, other than the fact that they were stuck together even more than they had been before and the jokes became interested questions.

But even so, after being together for so long, it was an incredibly strange feeling for Nick to be walking home alone. He kept expecting to hear the pawsteps of the tired but still joyous bunny walking beside him, probably listening to Gazelle while holding his paw. He almost could feel her soft fur entwined with his.

It wasn't as if Judy hadn't a valid reason to be away and he for being 'the responsible one', a role which he was still finding an odd to adjust to, even after becoming a police officer. Indeed, after months of vacillating with work and general procrastination, Judy had finally got her parents to come up to Zootopia and get the business of their blessing ceremony in Bunnyburrow done and dusted. Nick had been sprawled out on the sofa many times while Judy paced the floor on the phone with her mum or dad trying to get this whole thing sorted, he was just delighted that this ongoing soap opera was nearing its end.

After bimbling through the streets, Nick finally reached the flats, the building lit like a beacon in storm, calling all weary travellers to it. After a swift lift ride up, Nick strolled down the corridor and, after fumbling with his keys, pushed the door open and swiftly flung onto the sofa burying his head within the cushions.

Mulling over whether to slip into sweet unconsciousness, the sound of pawsteps softly approaching his made his ears twitch and a smirk to creep around the corners of his face. The sofa bounced a little as Judy hopped onto its edge before lying down on top of him, with her entire being only taking up his torso. Feeling her little frame on his back, her small nose breathing him in, her leg reaching down and entwining with his own, Nick felt complete, as if that lost limb had returned, making him whole.

Turning her head softly, Judy gently whispered to his ear; "Good day then?"

"The. Best". Judy chuckled at Nick's halfhearted and half-muffled sarcasm.

"I'm so glad to hear that. It is a shame though, 'cos if it had been a bad day I might have had something special for you."

With that Judy sprang off the now bemused Nick, who shot up like a bamboo, his eyes wide at the prospect of losing something he didn't know was being offered. Judy stood at the edge of the sofa, her cunning, violet eyes glinting with glee at Nick's bewildered look. Nick quickly composed himself into his trademark half-lidded nonchalance, attempting to capture that elusive prize.

"Oh it was the worst." Nick replied, hamming it up for her. Judy smirked. "Oh was it now?" Judy replied, folding her arms and resting on her weight on her back paw, the classic 'I totally don't believe you pose'. "How bad was it?" Judy questioned, spinning on her heel as she did so before slowly making her way towards the kitchen. Nick hauled himself off the sofa to follow.

"Oh yeah, you don't even know the half of it. I mean, Bogo dropped a massive pile of paperwork on my desk, and then I had to give Clawhauser the Heimlich manoeuvre to stop him from chocking on a doughnut, I had to save the mayor from a gang of raccoons, and… and the coffee machine wasn't working. Utter mayhem!"

Having climbed up her small step so she could see over the counter, Judy remained facing away, slowly making a cup of green tea in that forced slowness that betrays the façade of the act. Nick slipped his arms between her, holding her against him as he nuzzled the side of her face his muzzle.

"Oh that sounds really bad." Judy replied, still not looking at him but hamming it up right back. "In that case, since it was such a bad day you're probably too exhausted to get the special something."

Even though Nick could feel her giggling, Nick knew when to play the drama queen. "Oh, how you could you treat me so Judy!" Nick said, his voice going an octave higher and throwing his paw in the air in mock despair. "A poor, defenceless fox being thrust in the hazardous world of overtime being promised some delectable treat from a bunny as charming as yourself only to have it snatched away, is there no justice in the–".

Mid-speech, Judy span around, grabbed him by the tie, and tugged him in for a kiss. Momentarily startled by her forcefulness, Nick relaxed into the kiss, reciprocating and enveloped his arms around her, holding her in a soft embrace.

There was something revitalising about Judy, no matter how down or exhausted Nick became, Judy always managed to perk him back up, whether it be a kiss, a hug, or occasionally scratching behind his right ear, a weak spot that Judy used sparingly but maliciously. It wasn't as if Nick didn't know and do the same things for Judy. There were many an occasion when walking through the ZPD Nick would gently rung one of his claws up Judy's back, making her shiver in ecstasy before turning in fury and threatening to punch him. It was still worth it, despite the bruises.

"Alright that's enough you" Judy said, pushing the hungry fox away. "I've got to get ready anyway. There's some leftovers in the microwave if you want. I'm just gonna get changed." Any protest Nick might have had evaporated as his stomach snarled at the mere mention of food. Judy giggled and stepped into the bedroom, leaving Nick holding his belly and blushing under his fur.

Nick swiveled the microwave dial without checking what was in there and flopped down on the sofa, the time marked by the growing grumblings of his gut. Soon the microwave pinged and Nick brought out a piping hot plate of veggie stir fry. Popping the plate at the table, and grabbing a pair of chopsticks, Nick wolfed down the plate, placating his body's need for sustenance and ignoring the stinging heat on his tongue.

Just as he finished the last morsel, Judy reappeared complete in ZPD uniform, rubbing the badge with the back of her paw to a gleaming shine.

"Being fancy, are you?" Judy remarked, gesturing to the chopsticks resting by his side.

"Hey, you're just jealous you can't use them." Judy brow knotted with frustration. Watching Judy try to use chopsticks was like watching Clawhauser trying not to eat donuts, both ended messily.

"How was the family anyway? You finally get anything sorted?" Nick asked, quickly changing conversation.

"It was great!" Judy exclaimed as her face lit up, a wide smile instantaneously covering her face cheek to cheek. "Mum and dad even brought up a few of my nephew and nieces. It's been so long since I've seen any of any of them my family so it was good to see a few of them."

"A few?"

"Well, only a couple really. You could hardly get 275 siblings in here!" Judy laughed.

"Nice, so how many of the clan did you squeeze in here? Ten? Twenty?"

"Yeah, and about twenty kits as well. It was like a little burrow in here!"

The thought of forty bunnies jammed packed into their flat, with twenty young and hyperactive bunnies hopping, swinging, and running everywhere shot through Nick's mind. He was surprised that everything was still neat and tidy, probably neater than it usual. Judy had definitely done the whole 'parent clean' to impress them or at least make us look halfway civilised, with all the pizza boxes and tea mug rings disappeared from the coffee table and the kitchen still clinging on to that freshly cleaned smell unmistakable in last minute cleans.

"Must have been snug" Nick grinned. "Get any of the nitty gritty details sorted when I was away?"

"Yeah, we talked about tonnes! Johnny's finally gotten engaged to Linda Warren, I swear they have been going out since primary school so it's about time they got together. You should have seen the look on his face when dad brought it up, he was practically beat red! The wedding's happening later so mum's gonna have to get more burrows sorted for the new bunnies soon, which could be very soon if you listen to what Jillian say. Mum and dad's partnership is going really well. Apparently, blueberry pies are going down a storm at his bakery. According to mum he's got order months in advance and, since he's started doing morning tea, he gets a queue of rabbits so long down the street he's had to get help! It's great to see his life turn around after everything while growing up. Oh, and also…"

Judy wittered on for what to others might have seemed an eternity but to Nick was a frankly brief catch up on what was going on back in Bunnyburrow. Despite knowing all the Bunnyburrow's juicy gossip and being married into the family, Nick had never had the chance to go down there to see everyone who's life he knew in deep, vivid detail.

It was hard to get the time off, what with being part of the ZPD as well as being partnered with its most enthusiastic member, but even going on their days off never seemed to happen. In any case, Stu and Bonnie had come up and met them in Zootopia several times. Nick had been nervous on their first meeting, but they got on well enough now, Stu even cried for joy and hugged them both when Judy told them they were engaged.

Since then Stu had been trying to get them down to Bunnyburrow for a proper family meeting but it always remained a forever next time, with things just coming in Bunnyburrow that Stu and Bonnie had to sort out that stopped them short of going down. Not this time though, Stu had a look of determination in his eyes at the weeding. Nick could tell come hell or high water, they were destined to go down to the Hopps'.

"That's great and all Carrots" Nick interrupted "but I did mean about the blessing that we're meant to be doing. You know that thing we've been trying to get done for months?"

"Oh right! Yeah, sorry, I can get a bit carried away sometimes. Well we got all the guests sorted out that aren't family sorted out so expect quite few there, it is a majority bunny event. We're going to be using the barn so we can most the family to fit in and the rest can watch from the door, and Father Hareton will do blessing. Apparently, it'll be his first interspecies blessing so he's quite excited."

"That's good, I don't think we can use Mr Big's persuasion every time we need the clergy for something."

Judy giggled. "Don't worry, I don't think word of that made it down the grapevine to Bunnyburrow quite yet so I think we're alright. We've settled on 17th next month so we can get the time off and they can get everything sorted for us."

Nick nodded in agreement, finished up his dinner and, with Judy's eyes boring into the back of his head, made the conscious effort to stick his plate in the dishwasher instead of its usual home of the sink to be met by seven or eight of its brethren over the coming days. Judy jumped out the chair and started heading over to the door.

"Have you told your mum yet?"

Nick let out a sigh. "I've been waiting till we had everything confirmed with your side. You do not know how many texts I've had off her?"

"I think I do, you keep forgetting to put the thing on silent And I wake up to your ringtone going off at three in the morning. Does your mum ever sleep?"

"God knows. Knowing her I wouldn't put it past her to set an alarm at ridiculous o'clock in the morning just to send those messages and then go back to sleep."

Nick's mum Vivian was one of those vixens that, having reunited with their child after so long of being kept apart due to Nick's previous lifestyle, had sought to make up for lost time by being the embarrassing mother she had missed out on and was revelling in every moment. The wedding had been no different, with her telling every story she could remember from Nick's childhood to embarrass him to his ZPD colleagues, deliberately trying to be 'cool' and 'hip' and 'down with the kids', as well as loudly proclaiming what her grandkits would look like, making both he and Judy so red they could have been roses.

There was no doubt in Nick's mind that this wouldn't change at the blessing but he wouldn't miss it having her there for the world. She may embarrass him but she felt he deserved it. For so long he had been an embarrassment, a con artist fox, the perfect stereotype. Now that was all different. They reconnected, they bonded. She met Judy and loved her for all she was and all she had done to help Nick from the very first instant. If there was anyone to fight their corner, it was his mum, so if a little embarrassment was what he had to pay, then so be it.

"What time will you be finished?"

"Sometime about four or five I believe, unless somebody gets too drunk then it might be later."

Doing the overnight shift wasn't a pleasant prospect, but all the money they'd spent on the wedding they needed some coppers in the bank.

"Okay, well I'll be especially quiet for when you get in then." Nick said, walking over to her and hugging her goodbye.

"You better be" Judy shot back. "otherwise a certain fox will be sleeping on the couch for quite a while."

"Love you too." Nick chuckled. "Now go on or you'll be late."

Judy smiled. "Dumb fox." Planting a small peck on his cheek, Judy whipped round and bounded out of the door.

With the sounds of her paws quickly receding down the stairs, as Judy and apparently slow moving lifts were never a good combination, Nick relaxed back into his usual place in the old sofa and began to idly flick through the TV stations, eventually settling on some low budget noir film from the 50's. He'd not seen it before but right from the off he knew the villain would be a predator of some sort, seeing as how all the main detective was the stereotypical hard drinking ram tormented by his past and doesn't go by the book but he gets the job done, dammit!

That and it was the 50's. All predators were villains in the 50's. And the 60's. Well the 70's, 80's, 90's and even to an extent the 00's if you wanted to be pedantic about it, but it was changing slowly. Last year he saw a film with a panda as a villain. Not the main villain but, it's a start at least.

Felling quite snug, Nick's eyes began to close, allowing his mind to switch off while the noir film became background noise and then silence.

Waking up bleary eyed and slow witted, his brain not fully woken up from the short nap, Nick turned his head to see the film had ended and the late night ZNN news was on, with a snow leopard having a difficult time interviewing the almost evangelical preaching of giraffe, emblazoned with a massive Herbivism badge on his suit lapel. Nick swiped up the remote and turned the TV off in a single well practiced motion, before making his way to bed.

Switching on the light, Nick made for the en-suite. Nick was proud of the fact they had an en-suite attached to their bedroom. Whereas Judy had had a communal bathroom at the Grand Pangolian Apartments and, before Nick went on his apartment hopping days, Nick either had to use public bathrooms or very public bathrooms.

As Nick opened the door and reached for the light switch inside, his ears perked up to the sound a small creak coming from within the bedroom. Swiveling his head around, Nick saw the wardrobe door slowly moving open, creaking all the way as it did so before stopping half open.

"Odd" Nick thought, moving across the room to close the door. Just as his paw reached the wooden door, force already prepared in his arm to slam the door shut, a pair of small paws caught his eye. A pair of small bunny paws. Too small to be Judy's. Swinging the door open, a tiny grey blur at his paws. It only took a moment for the vagueness to take the form of a half-turned bunny, with bright blue eyes staring up at him.

For a moment both Nick and the bunny remained motionless, as if blinded by headlights, unable to move away from the oncoming danger yet still not realising their imminent fate.

"Hey kid," Nick said, coming to senses first "you alright?"

Nick moved an inch in the bunny's direction and it was if the bunny was electrocuted back to life, jolting back to life, launching herself away from Nick and straight up against the wall behind her. Her eyes were truly open now, taking in the fox before her and the rest of her body reacted accordingly, her nose began to twitch; her body hunkered down against the wall with only her paws gripping against the faint bumps and crevices keeping her from collapsing; her breathing becoming rapid and harsh, her eyes momentarily darting away looking for an escape. A trapped prey.

"Woah! Hey, hey, hey!" Nick said, throwing his paws up. "I'm not gonna hurt you. You alright there?"

The bunny's eyes stopped darting and looked at him with such intensity that it almost made Nick feel guilty. She looked at him as if everything for her had melted out of existence, everything around her, everything outside the room, the building, the city, the state. Only she and he remained, with this being the last thing her deep, sapphire eyes would see.

"So" Nick began tentatively "I'm guessing you're one of the Hopps' aren't you?" The bunny's ears perked up a little, the intensity of the stare became less fearful and more curious. Okay, Nick thought, it's a start.

"Guessing I'm right then, aren't I?" Nick chuckled. A smirk quickly flickered on the bunny's face. "Were you here to visit your sister Judy?"

The bunny eye's widened with surprise, before she gave a tentative nod.

"Okay and you were here with you mum, right? And your brothers and sisters?"

Again, the bunny silently nodded, having now come out of her attempt to merge with the wall and now stood straight, cautious but not totally afraid now. Looking at her, it was kind of hard to believe that she was related to Judy in anyway. For one thing, she was minuscule. She barely came up to Nick's thigh, with her shortened ears just creeping above his waist. Nearly everything about her was miniature, her paws, hindpaws, legs, almost every aspect of her was diminutive. Except her eyes. Compared to the rest of her tiny body, her eyes seemed alert, as if possessing another form of sight granted by the two vast oceans of ultramarine iris'.

"Yeah" the tiny, sharp voice escaping from her.

Nick relaxed a bit. "Good to know. Sorry but seeing as there's a couple hundred of you, I lose track of who's who. What's your name?"

"Molly" she replied, her body relaxing as if all the tensions simply fell away just by simply introducing herself.

"Nice to meet you, Molly. My name's Nick." He said, gently offering a paw.

Tentatively, Molly moved forward and gripped onto Nick's smallest paw pad, with Nick being careful to shake gently and not to fling around this sentient plush toy of a bunny.

With Molly now out of the wardrobe and sitting on the sofa, fiddling with the TV buttons which was almost the size of her, Nick dialled Bonnie's number, wondering if Nick was the first or four hundredth and first mammal to report one of her kits being left behind somewhere. If I had that many kits, Nick thought, I could probably go years without noticing twenty of them gone, let alone a small one. After a few rings, a monosyllabic voice came down the phone.

"Yeah?"

"Er, hey, is Bonnie?"

"Yeah."

Helpful child, Nick thought.

"Can she come to the phone, please?"

"Yeah."

Still nothing.

"Can you ask her?" Nick asked, his patience already wearing thin.

"Kay." The rabbit replied followed by a loud shout "MUM! PHONE!". A little while later, with a few notes of scolding in the background, Bonnie's familiar voice came on the line.

"Hello, who's this?"

"Hey Bonnie, it's Nick."

"Oh Nick!" Bonnie replied, her voice going up an octave. "How are you? Judy told us you were doing a long shift today. Sorry we missed you but we had to get back and get the young ones to bed."

"Er, yeah, about that…" Nick said, his free paw almost instinctively rubbing the back of his neck. "Seems you've left a small one back at ours."

From the noise that came down the other end, it was safe to assume that Molly was indeed the first she had lost and that the entirety of Bunny Burrow, and anyone who with a sense of hearing within a five-mile radius of the phone Nick was holding at ear drum disintegrating distance, now knew.

It took a while for the power of speech to put the power of panic into a headlock, with Molly now paying full attention to Nick who was both holding the phone at full arm's reach away from him and soothing the remnants of his ear with this free paw, but soon Bonnie calmed enough for intelligible words to stutter out of her mouth.

"Who – oh cheese and crackers – wh-wh-who is it? I thought we got them everyone?! Stu, get everyone up! We're doing a headcount right now! I could have sworn I got everyone, oh carrot sticks."

"Bonnie, calm down." Nick said, eventually getting through the panicked warble and hopefully preventing the military inspection going on in the background. "It's Molly, I've got Molly here, okay. Please calm down. You're kind of panicking her and me as well to be honest." Nick looked over to Molly, already clasping one of Judy's cushions to her body, her eyes fixated on the wailing receiver.

"Molly? It's Molly! Stu I told you to keep an eye on Molly! Well clearly you didn't 'cos Nick's got her! I'm sorry Nick is she okay?"

"Yeah she's fine. To be honest I almost jumped out my pelt when I saw her coming out my wardrobe."

"Coming out your wardrobe?"

"Yeah, that was a bit weird." Nick admitted, trying to laugh it off. "Guess they were playing hide and seek or something and she fell asleep."

"Yeah, that makes sense. She does end up in some weird places that one. Always wandering off somewhere." Bonnie replied, her tone with an air of slight exasperation.

"Good to know, so when should I bring her down?"

"Huh?"

"Molly. I've got the day off tomorrow, I can drive her down if you like."

"Oh no" Bonnie cried "Th-there's no need for that! I, I can come and pick Molly up! I can be there before dawn if I get the next train. Stu, when does the -"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Nick interrupted. Bonnie was a great mum, but sometimes her maternal nature kicked into overdrive. "There's no need for that. If you're dead set on coming up, then by all means come up but you don't need to rush. Molly's fine and I'll get her all sorted for when you come up tomorrow, sound good?"

"Erm" Bonnie hesitated "okay, if that's alright with you and Judy."

"It's fine and I'm sure Judy will love having one of her siblings over for a little bit."

"Oh, so where's Judy then? Has she just popped out then?" Bonnie asked.

Nick remained silent. Surely Judy told her that she was on duty tonight? That's not something Judy would forget about. No, she's definitely told them, Bonnie's just forgot that's all. Just as the first breath of his reply came out, Bonnie quickly interrupted him.

"Well, I'm sure Judy will be back soon. She just loves her siblings so I'm sure Molly will be fine with her. I'll ring tomorrow to let her know when I'm coming up then, okay? Lovely to talk to you Nick. Bye!"

Before Nick could utter even the first sound of the word bye, the hang up tone rang into his ear. Shoving the phone back in his pocket, Nick looked over to the expectant bunny, her eyes wide with anticipation.

"Is, is mum coming then?" her voice still barely over a whisper.

Nick sighed. "Yeah, she'll be here first thing in the morning Little Miss Hide-and-Seek. And" looking at his watch" I think it's time someone went to bed. We can discuss the whole you being in the wardrobe thing tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay." Molly yawned in reply, the tiredness seeping in as soon as bed was mentioned.

Turning the TV back off, Nick herded Molly to their room and plonked her in Judy's and his bed. With her tiny head placed in front of two massive pillow and her body not even fifth of the bed's length was almost too cute for words.

Stifling an almost compulsive aww, Nick headed to the door to fall asleep back on the sofa.

"Mister Fox?" the tiny voiced called out.

"Yeah?" Nick replied, turning back towards her, his paw on the doorknob.

"Why are you in Judy's house?"

That threw him for a loop for a moment.

"Erm, I live here."

"Why?" came the instantaneously reply.

"Because I married Judy. I'm her husband." Nick replied, half laughing at the near absurdity of the question.

Molly just stared at him, eyes wide and jaw dropped. In a weird way, it was almost refreshing to have someone so openly shocked at the thought of a fox-bunny couple instead of just getting the usual looks of disdain.

"But you're a fox."

"Very good detective skills there, Molly" Nick replied, a little sarcasm peeking through.

"But isn't Judy married to a bunny?"

Nick stiffened up. Why would she think that? Why would she say that? A million other thoughts passed through his head while the young bunny looked on for an answer.

"Well really" Nick replied in a faux offended tone. "she could have at least told me!"

Molly giggled, causing Nick to smile. It was cute, not that he;d ever say it.

"When she gets home I'm going to have a word with this naughty bunny about and her other husband but before then I want you to have a good night sleep, alright little-un?"

"Okay" came the giggled reply, before Molly turned over, tucking the covers round her as Nick left, switching the light off before closing the door.

Grabbing a spare blanket, Nick tried to make himself comfy on the sofa but the sleep that had come so easily before now eluded him expertly. Why would Molly say that? Surely, we must be the talk of Bunnyburrow by now? A fox and a rabbit married? The way Judy told him about the place it would have been going through the gossip mill for at least another century. Something was wrong here and, turning over and shutting his eyes to try and catch some needed sleep, Nick knew, one way or another, he was going to find out.


End file.
